Landing gear unit for airplanes



1mg. E, H950 R. H. MILES 2,520,323

LANDING GEAR UNIT FOR AIRPLANES Filed March 19, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Emacutor Robe/1 N. Mf/es Gtforneg Aug. 29, 1950 R. H. MILES 2,520,323

LANDING GEAR UNIT FOR AIRPLANES Filed March 19,- 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Robert HFM I /G-S (Ittorneg Aug. 29, 1950 R. H. MILES LANDING GEAR UNIT FOR AIRPLANES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 19, 1948 3rmemtor Faber) Him/e5 (Ittorneg Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Li'irllDllTG GEAR UNIT FQR AIBPLANES Robert H. Miles, Rochester, N. Y.

Application March 19, 1948, Serial No. 15,877

(Cl. 244-l02) 7 Claims. 1.

The object of this invention is to provide a landing gear for a model or toy airplane having two retractable wheels, which landing gear and its frame can be attached to the frame of a flying machine after the rest of the flying machine has been assembled and covered.

Another object of the invention is to construct the landing gear and its frame in a separate unit that can be easily attached to the frame and wings of the flying machine after the machine has been assembled and covered.

Another object of the invention is to mount the wheels of the landing gear on brackets that will swing in and up against the frame of the landing gear that carries them and will swing down and out. from this frame when the flying machine makes contact with the ground.

Another object of the invention is to mountthe wheels so that they can be retracted manually before the machine begins its flight and so that they will be automatically moved down and out to landing position when the machine lands on the ground.

Another object of the invention is to control and operate the movement of the landing wheels by a stem that is mounted to slide up and down in the frame of the separate unit at or near the center thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide spring having two arms connected by a central loop; each end of which arms extends outwardly from the said loop and slides over a fulcrum mounted horizontally in theframe, the outer ends of which spring engage with the brackets below and ofiset from the pivot on which the bracket swings, whereby on moving the loop up the arms of the spring are moved out causing the brackets on which the wheels are mounted to swing down and out, and on moving the loop down, the arms of the spring are moved causing the brackets on which the wheels are mounted to swing in and up.

Another object of the invention is to design the body and wings of the airplane in such a manner that the aforesaid landing gear can be attached to it.

These and other objects of the invention will be illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows the landing gear unit in full lines with the outline of the body, the Wings and the wing ribs of the flying machine shown in dotted lines, the wings being partly broken away. Figure 1A is a bottom plan View of the convena tional model plane, shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, showing the opening to receive the landing gear unit, the covering on the left hand side being partly broken away.

Figure 2 shows the landing gear unit shownin Figure 1 with the front plate removed and certain transverse parts shown in section, the wheels and brackets supporting them being shown extended in active or landing position.

Figure 3 shows the same parts of the landing gear unit shown in Figure 2 with the wheels retracted to idle or flying position.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the landing gear shown in Figure 2 mounted in the body of a model having a tricycle landing gear, the flying machine being shown in dotted lines and shown partly broken away at the rear and shown at its forward end with a long nose in which is mounted a third wheel unit.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the third wheel unit.

Figure '7 is an elevation of a third wheel unit, the unit being shown in section on the line Tr, is of Figure 6 and the landing wheel being shown retracted or in flying position in full lines and shown in landing position in dotted lines.

In the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In Figure 1 of the drawings numeral 1 indicates the frame of the landing gear unit, which frame has two long bars 2 and 3. These bars are connected together and spaced apart by blocks 4, 5, 5, l, 8 and 9. Placed at or near the center thereof, on top of the unit is a block H], which block is perforated centrally with a hole through which hole the rod 1 l passes so that it can move up and down. Near each outer end of the landing unit frame are placed pins 12 and it which are carried in the side bars 2 and 3. On these pins are suitably mounted brackets M and t5 which can swing thereon. Each of these brackets, at the bottom, carries an arm to or ll made preferably of wire. These arms are bent S shape, the lateral part at the bottom forming axles l8 and ES. The middle horizontal parts 23 and 2| are imbedded in grooves in the bottom of the brackets M and 95. The top of the S-shaped arms engage in horizontal holes in the brackets I4 and 15 as indicated at 22 and 23. The upper upright member of each of these wire arms 24 and 25 are ongaged in upright grooves in the sides of the brackets l4 and 15.

On the axles l8 and I9 are mounted to rotate the wheels 26 and 21.

The brackets I4 and i5 can swing to the upright a &

position shown in Figure 2 in which position the upper of the brackets are arrested by the blocks and 3 in which position the brackets are held in so-called landing position.

lhese same brackets i l and i5 can swing to the horizontal position shown in Figure 3, in which case the wheels and 2? nest into the recesses indicated at 28 and 29 in Figures 2 and 3.

The brackets i i and i5 are held against swinging up beyond the position shown in Figure 3 by making contact with the blocks 5 and 3.

The movement of these brackets It and i5 is controlled by a flexible link or lever 3%] made preferably of spring wire, which link has a loop or coil 3! centrally thereof, the arms 3?. and 33 of the link extending laterally from this central loop.

This central loop is moved up and down and is held to a right line up and down movement by a wire or rod ii that is coiled around the link, the upper end of which passes through the hole shown in the block it? in Figures 2 and 3, the lower end of which rod H serves as a handle or a contact for the ground, and is preferably finished in the form of a loop. The arm 32 of the wire link 36 is bent at the end and engages in the hole 35 formed in the bracket M and the right hand arm 33 of the wire link 39 is bent and engages in a hole 36 in the bracket 55. The intermediate parts of each arm of the link slides over pins 3?, 3B in the frame of the landing unit. When the rod i i is pulled or pushed down, it will pull the two arms of the link inward toward each other and when the rod is pushed or pulled up, it will push the two arms of the link outward, causing the arms of the link to slide on the pins 3'! and 38. The brackets l4 and it are cut away around the holes 35 and 36 to make room in which the arms 32 and 33 can swing.

When the red I l and the loop 3! is pulled. down from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3, it will draw up the brackets id and it and the wheels from the posi tion shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3 and in so doing the holes 35 and 35 pass up above the pins i2 and it over the center, so to speak, and the pressure or thrust of the bent arms and and the spring of the central loop will hold the wheels inraised position.

When the flying machine lands on the rod l I, the loop lla will make contact with the ground with more or less of a jar, and this will push up on the loop 3! and the jar will cause the wheels 26 and 27 by their weight or gravity to swing down and release themselves from the position shown in Figure 3 and take the position shown in Figure 2.

In Figures 6 and '7, I have shown a third landing wheel having a bracket (it pivotally mounted on a pin ll. This bracket in the top thereof has a hole therein in which engages the free end of a spring wire loop .3, the other end of which is fastened around the pin :34 and the end '35 of which en ages in the bar lt. Parallel to the bar 5.6 is the bar ii which bars are held together and spaced apart by the block Al The bar 66 is offset as indicated at 5i? to allow space for the wheel 5!. The bars 58 and ll are spaced apart and held together by the block 52. Between the bars 553 and ll the wheel 5! is carried on a wire S-shaped arm 53 which is engaged with the bracket to in the same manner as the S-shaped arm [6 is engaged with the bracket It.

Fastened on the bracket 49 a wire d 55 is provided which is rigidly engaged with the bracket All and extends downwardly from the unit when the wheel 5| is in the raised position shown in Figure 7. When the plane lands this rod engages with the ground and is pushed back about 15 or 20, by which time the free end 42 of the spring :23 has passed up above the line connecting the centers ll and 44 after which the spring d3 reacts to raise the rod 55 up to its highest position shown at the top of Figure '7 in dotted lines and pushes the bracket ll) and the wheel 5i down so that the wheel makes contact with the ground as shown in Figure 5. The pin 54 placed between the bars 35 and 4'! is a stop for the bracket it in either of its two positions.

It will be understood that the body and wings H and i2 of the flying machine are recessed on the under side so that the frame of the landing unit can be built therein or can engage therein after the body and wings have been built separately and whether the body and wings have been covered over or not. Such a recess is shown at 5t in Figure 1A. The cross ribs 6?, 61 are shown in Figures 1 and 1A and in Figure 1A these cross ribs appear recessed as shown at 68 to re ceive the landing unit. Whatever covering is used is easily broken through for the purpose of attaching the landing unit for the purpose of exposing the recesses and attaching the landing unit.

For the purpose of supporting the cover I6, I provide the frame as made of wood or plastic which is recessed into the body and the wings of the flying machine. The cover 19 of the wing H is partly broken away to expose this frame 69. The frame 59 is concealed by the cover it of the wing l2. This frame provides a definite support for the edges of the cover ill when the cover 10 is cut away to conform to the opening of this frame. This provides for the easy insertion of the frame of the landing unit.

The covering may leave these recesses open as shown at the right in Figure 1A. The landing unit can be fastened in place in any desired way, such as by gluing or pinning.

I claim:

1. In a flying or plane the combination of a body, a landin unit attached thereto, said landing unit having a frame extending transversely on the body, a pivot mounted near each of the outer ends of said plane, a bracket mounted to swing on said pivot, a landing wheel carried on each bracket, said bracket and wheel. being adapted to swing in toward the center of the frame and up against the frame of the land-- ing unit, a link connecting the two brackets, said link being so mounted that by pulling down on the central part thereof the said brackets and wheels will be drawn in and up against the land-- ing frame and into idle position, and by push ing up on the central part of the link, the brackets and wheels will be pushed down to active or landin position.

2. In a flying machine or plane, the combination of a body, a landing unit attached thereto, said landing unit having a frame extending transversely on the body, a pivot mounted near each of the outer ends of said plane, a bracket mounted to swing on said pivot, a landing wheel carried on each bracket, said bracket and wheel being adapted to swing in toward the center of the frame and up against the frame of the landing unit, a link connecting the two brackets, said link having a loop centrally thereof to which the two ends of the link are connected, pins in said unit between the 100p and the brackets on which the ends of the links can slide in and out and on which the ends of the links can swin as fulcrums to operate the brackets and wheels.

3. In a flying machine or plane the combination of a body, a landin unit attached thereto, said landing unit having a frame extending transversely on the body, a pivot mounted near each of the outer ends of said plane, a bracket mounted to swing on said pivot, a landing Wheel carried on each bracket, said bracket and wheel being adapted to swing in toward the center of the frame and up against the frame of the landing unit, a link connecting the two brackets, said link being so mounted that by pulling down on the central part thereof the said brackets and wheels will be drawn in and up against the landing frame and into idle position, and by pushing up on the central part of the link, the brackets and wheels will be pushed down to active or landing position, a rod attached to said link and extending up and down therefrom, a guide on top of the landing unit through which said rod extends.

4. In a flying machine or plane the combination of a body, a landing unit attached thereto, said landing unit having a frame extending transversely on the body, a pivot mounted near each of the outer ends of said plane, a bracket mounted to swing on said pivot, a landing wheel carried on each bracket, said bracket and wheel being adapted to swing in toward the center of the frame and up against the frame of the landing unit, a link connectin the two brackets, said link having a loop centrally thereof to which the two ends of the link are connected, pins in said unit between the loop and the brackets on which the ends of the links can slide in and out and on which the ends of the link can swing as fulcrums, the ends of said links being connected to the brackets below the pivots and on which said brackets are mounted when the brackets are in an upright position, said bracket being cut away around said pins to form a long recess, said links operating to pull said brackets and wheels from an upright active position to a horizontal position on the downward movement of the loop.

5. In a flying machine or plane the combination of a body, a landing unit attached thereto, said landin unit having a frame extending transversely on the body, a pivot mounted near each of the outer ends of said plane, a bracket mounted to swing on said pivot, a landing wheel carried on each bracket, said bracket and wheels bein adapted to swing in toward the center of the frame and up against the frame of the landing unit, a link connecting the two brackets, said link having a loop centrally thereof to which the two ends of the link are connected, pins in said unit between the loop and the brackets on which the ends of the links can slide in and out and on which the ends of the link can swing as fulcrums, the ends of said links being connected to the brackets below the pivots and on which said brackets are mounted when the brackets are in an upright position, said bracket being cut away around said pins to form a long recess, said links operating to pull said brackets and wheels from an upright active position to a horizontal position on the downward movement of the loop, the ends of the links and their connection with the brackets movin above the pin on which the bracket swings up to horizontal or idle position.

6. In a flying machine having a body, a pin mounted in the forward part of said body, a bracket and a landin wheel mounted to swing on said pin, a second pin mounted on the body above and back of the first named pin, a spring having a loop in it connected at one end to the second pin and connected to the bracket above the first named pin when the bracket is in upright position, the point of said connection being below a line connecting the first and second pins when the bracket is in raised or idle position.

7. In a flying machine having a body, a pin mounted in the forward part of said body, a

bracket and a landing wheel mounted to swing on said pin, a second pin mounted on the body above and back of the first named pin, a spring having a loop in it connected at one end to the second pin and connected to the bracket above the first named pin when the bracket is in upright position, the point of said connection being below a line connecting the first and second pins when the bracket is in raised or idle position, a bar attached to said bracket and extending downwardly when the bracket is in raised position, said bar bein adapted to react and move rearwardly on contactwith the ground to start the bracket down toward an upright position.

ROBERT H. MILES.

, REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent! UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,077,178 Mirel Apr, 13, 1937 2,296,117 Pevney Sept. 15, 1942 2,360,759 Chalberg Oct. 17, 1944 2,376,374 Miles May 22, 1945 

